Grocery cart and checkout counter combination

ABSTRACT

In the present cantilever grocery cart and checkout counter combination the entry end of the overhanging counter, which the basket in the upper half of the cart is adapted to overlie in the checkout operation, extends at an acute angle to define a cam surface to guide the cart laterally into the aisle alongside the checkout counter by sliding abutment of correspondingly, angularly spaced upright parts on the cart with the angled end of the counter as the customer pushes or pulls the cart forward, the wheels on the cart being of the usual caster type to swivel as necessary to obtain the initial lateral movement of the cart. To further facilitate properly servicing all of the carts in the flow of cart traffic past the checkout counter while insuring against oversight in checking out merchandise, the entry end portion of the counter with the acute angled end cam surface in one form is defined by an open horizontal frame permitting the checkout person to see down through the upper basket to the lower basket and be certain to check out any merchandise deposited in the lower level of the cart that might otherwise be eventually hauled away without payment.

United States Patent [1 1 Jay GROCERY CART AND CHECKOUT COUNTERCOMBINATION [76] Inventor: Walter M. Jay, l6 Tweed Road, Fox

Lake, Ill. 60020 22 Filed: May 18, 1911 21 App1.No.: 144,531

52 us. Cl. .1 186/1 AC, 186/] A [51] Int. Cl. E04h 3/04 [58] Field ofSearch 186/1, 1 A, 1 AC [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,052,319 9/1962 Swanson 186/1 AC 3,517,773 6/1970 Swanson 186/1 AC3,557,907 1/1971 Close 186/1 AC 3,368,646 2/1968 Cachance 186/1 ACPrimary Examiner-J-Iarvey C. l'lornsby Attorney-Andrew F. Wintercom'[57] ABSTRACT In the present cantilever grocery cart and checkout 11]3,739,878 June 19, 1973 counter combination the entry end of theoverhanging counter, which the basket in the upper half of the cart isadapted to overlie in the checkout operation, extends at an acute angleto define a cam surface to guide the cart laterally into the aislealongside the checkout counter by sliding abutment of correspondingly,angularly spaced upright parts on the cart with the angledend of thecounter as the customer pushes or pulls the cart forward, the wheels onthe cart being of the usual caster type to swivel as necessary to obtainthe initial lateral movement of the cart.

y 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 1 9 ma FIGZ fl ali'ermf yATTORNEY GROCERY CART AND CHECKOUT COUNTER COMBINATION This invention isthe subject matter of a disclosure document Ser. No. 000,470, filedSept. 10, 1969.

This invention relates to an improved cantilever type grocery cart andimproved correlated checkout counter combination for use insupermarkets, not only to facilitate the easy orderly flow of carttraffic past the checkout counter, but also greatly reduce the risk ofthe checkout person overlooking the tabulation of any merchandise thatshould have been recorded in ing the keys on the cash register.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved cantilever typegrocery carts, showing the open top upper and lower baskets forreception of the merchandise and also the provision of upright posts inthe rear end portion of the cart so arranged in relation to theangulation or cam shape of the entry end of the overhang ing checkoutcounter providing a guide cam surface thereon for sliding abutment withthe posts on the cart to give the novel cart guiding action illustratedin FIG.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the grocery cart and checkout countercombination of my invention;

FIG. is a rear view of FIG. 2 to better illustrate the cooperativerelationship between the posts on the cart and theend of the counter toobtain the results desired;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a checkout counter having an open framework inthe entry end portion enabling a clear view through this portion of thecounter into the lower basket portion of the cart for the purposesintended, and

FIG. 5 is a rear view of FIG. 4.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding partsthroughout these views.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly FIGS. 1 to 3, there isshown in FIG. 1 at 6, one of my improved cantilever type grocery cartshaving open top generally rectangular upper and lower baskets 7and 8 ofsee-through wire mesh construction on the bottoms thereof as well as theside and end walls. The carts generally rectangularbottom frame 9 hasswivelled thereon on vertical axes, four caster wheels '10 at the fourcorners. The generally rectangular bottom frame 11 for the upper basket7 is rigidly supported on the other bottom frame 9 in a predetenninedvertically spaced relation thereto on three vertical posts 12, 13 and 14and these may be of square cross-section as shownor round cross-section,as desired, the most important point being that the post 12 be spacedforwardly a predetermined distance in relation to the corner post 13 andthe other corner post 14, as best appears in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pointbeing that posts 12 and 14 will both have slidable guidingengagementwith the angledend cam surface 15 at the entry end of the overhangingcheckout counter 16 to cause sidewise movement'of the cartintoaisle 18,when the customer, who has hold of an end handle 17, is pushingorlpulling forwardly on the cart, and starts moving the cart toward theaisle 18 defined between the side front of the checkout counter 16 andan parallel adjacent partition 19. A checkout person is indicatedat..20, standing behind the checkout counter 16 next to the cashregister punch- 21, generally located adjacent the entry end of thecheckout counter in supermarkets.

In operation, it is a simple matter for the checkout person 20, with orwithout the assistance of the customer and other personnel to removemerchandise from the upper basket 7 as the various items are tabulatedby depressing the appropriate keys on the cash register 21. The upperbasket 7, in this operation, overlies the entry end portion of thecheckout counter 16, as shown in FIG. 2 and also FIG. 3. There isadequate space, as indicated at 22 in FIG. 1, between the bottom of theupper basket 7 and open top of the lower basket 8 to accommodate theoverhanging checkout counter top 16 .therebetween. A suitable supportfor the counter top 16 is shown at 23 in FIG. 3 leaving adequate spaceto the right of it toward the aisle 18 to accommodate the lower basket 8under the counter top during the checking out operation. Of course,after all of the merchandise is removed from the upper basket 7 andproperly tabulated, the checkout person 20 will look at the cart 6 inthe aisle 18 to notice whether any other merchandise was deposited inthe lower basket 8 and have those items placed on the counter 16 andtabulated on the cash register 21 before the cart is moved forwardly outof the aisle 18 away from the checkout counter. However, it is realizedthat, particularly during rush hours, a harried checkout person mighteasily overlook some items in a lower basket 8 with the counterconstructed as shown at 16 in FIG. 2, so the checkout counter like thatshown at 16' in FIGS. 4 and 5 is disclosed having a substantial portionof the entry end portion 24 of open frame construction, the entry endportion 24 of open frame construction being approximately of the samelength as the cart 6 indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4, this form,however, still containing the desirable angulation of the end guide orcam surface 15, similarly as in FIGS. 2 and 3 with a view:

1. To giving the checkout person 20 an unobstructed view downwardlythrough the upper half of the cart to any items of merchandise in thelower basket 8 while the cart is still in the initial entry end of thecheckout counter, and

2. Still retaining the sidewise guiding feature at 15 to expeditemovement of carts through the aisle 18 past the checkout counter.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding ofthe objects and advantages of my invention. While a preferred embodimentof the invention has been illustrated and described, this is only forthe purpose of illustration, and it is to be understood that variousmodifications in structure will occur to a person skilled in this art.

I claim:

1. In combination, a supermarket checkout counter comrpising anoverhanging horizontal counter top supported in a predeterminedvertically spaced parallel relation to a floor therebeneath so as tounderlie the upperbasket of a grocery cart, and a grocery cart of thecantilever type movable on the floor having an upper open top basketsupported on a portable carrier frame to overlie the counter top whenthe cart is positioned with its carrier frame beneath said counter top,caster wheels swiveled on vertical axes and resting on the floor underthe carrier frame permitting induced lateral movement of the cart whenit is pushed or pulled forwardly, the entry end of the counter tophaving a guide or cam surface extending at an acute angle in relation Icheckout counter when the cart is pushed or pulled forwardly relative tosaid checkout counter from its initial position.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cart includes alower open top basket supported on the carrier frame in a predeterminedvertically spaced relation to and below the upper basket allowing theoverhanging counter to come between the upper and lower baskets, theupper basket being of open mesh wire construction, permitting a viewdownwardly through the upper basket into the lower basket, and the entryend portion of the counter top on the end of which the acute angledguide or cam surface is provided being of open construction for asubstantial length in relation to the length of the upper and lowerbaskets of said cart.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guide means onthe cart slidably engageable with the angled end guide or cam surface ofthe counter comprises laterally spaced substantially vertical postsrigid with the cart and located on a horizontal line at an acute anglerelative to the longitudinal center line of the cart.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the guide means onthe cart slidably engageable with the angled end guide or cam surface ofthe counter comprises laterally spaced substantially vertical supportingposts for one of the baskets which are located on a horizontal line atan acute angle relative to the longitudinal center line of the cart.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including a lower basket inthe cart and wherein the angled end guide or cam surface on the counteris at a level between the top and bottom baskets, and the guide means onthe cart comprises laterally spaced substantially vertical supportingposts for the upper basket which are located on a horizontal line at anacute angle relative to the longitudinal center line of the cart.

1. In combination, a supermarket checkout counter comrpising anoverhanging horizontal counter top supported in a predeterminedvertically spaced parallel relation to a floor therebeneath so as tounderlie the upper basket of a grocery cart, and a grocery cart of thecantilever type movable on the floor having an upper open top basketsupported on a portable carrier frame to overlie the counter top whenThe cart is positioned with its carrier frame beneath said counter top,caster wheels swiveled on vertical axes and resting on the floor underthe carrier frame permitting induced lateral movement of the cart whenit is pushed or pulled forwardly, the entry end of the counter tophaving a guide or cam surface extending at an acute angle in relation tothe longitudinal center line of the cart when the same is disposedinitially longitudinally relative to and with its upper basketoverlapping the entry end of the counter top, and acute angled guidemeans on said cart slidably abutting the angularly extending end guideor cam surface of said counter whereby to guide the cart laterally intoan aisle parallel to and alongside the checkout counter when the cart ispushed or pulled forwardly relative to said checkout counter from itsinitial position.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe cart includes a lower open top basket supported on the carrier framein a predetermined vertically spaced relation to and below the upperbasket allowing the overhanging counter to come between the upper andlower baskets, the upper basket being of open mesh wire construction,permitting a view downwardly through the upper basket into the lowerbasket, and the entry end portion of the counter top on the end of whichthe acute angled guide or cam surface is provided being of openconstruction for a substantial length in relation to the length of theupper and lower baskets of said cart.
 3. The combination as set forth inclaim 1, wherein the guide means on the cart slidably engageable withthe angled end guide or cam surface of the counter comprises laterallyspaced substantially vertical posts rigid with the cart and located on ahorizontal line at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal centerline of the cart.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe guide means on the cart slidably engageable with the angled endguide or cam surface of the counter comprises laterally spacedsubstantially vertical supporting posts for one of the baskets which arelocated on a horizontal line at an acute angle relative to thelongitudinal center line of the cart.
 5. The combination as set forth inclaim 1, including a lower basket in the cart and wherein the angled endguide or cam surface on the counter is at a level between the top andbottom baskets, and the guide means on the cart comprises laterallyspaced substantially vertical supporting posts for the upper basketwhich are located on a horizontal line at an acute angle relative to thelongitudinal center line of the cart.